Vermont Foliage Drive From Brattleboro
Sep 28th, 2016, 08:06 AM
#1
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Vermont Foliage Drive From Brattleboro
I know it's supposed to rain, never the less, we will be staying in Brattleboro this Friday and Saturday night (10/1/2016) and place unknown Sunday night.
I may head further north on Sunday but for Saturday I want to start and end in Brattleboro without driving too far.
What do you think of this foliage driving route. We like charming towns, but more importantly, we want to see spectacular hills of color.
Brattleboro - Bennington - Manchester - Mount Holly - Ludlow - Grafton - Newfane - Brattleboro
Also, what do you recommend for Sunday, starting in Brattleboro, but ending up somewhere in central to northern Vermont. Again, I'm looking for spectacular hills of color.
I may head further north on Sunday but for Saturday I want to start and end in Brattleboro without driving too far.
What do you think of this foliage driving route. We like charming towns, but more importantly, we want to see spectacular hills of color.
Brattleboro - Bennington - Manchester - Mount Holly - Ludlow - Grafton - Newfane - Brattleboro
Also, what do you recommend for Sunday, starting in Brattleboro, but ending up somewhere in central to northern Vermont. Again, I'm looking for spectacular hills of color.
Sep 28th, 2016, 09:54 AM
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Both Brattleboro and Norwich have wonderful farmers markets on Saturdays but this year I've only been to the one in Norwich. You would drive north to get there, it's across the river from Hanover NH. The market has some prepared food so we like to get a morning pastry snack. There is live music so it's festive. Also some good crafts people. Before you get to Norwich, you can visit Quechee Gorge or maybe have lunch at Simon Pearce. I expect Woodstock will be crowded with tourists.
You could cross over to NH using the covered bridge between Cornish and Windsor. I had a pleasant drive on the NH side of the river last August. Wish I had stopped at the Alysson's orchard. If you keep going south you can end up in Keene NH were there are a lot of choices for restaurants. Visiting St. Gaudens in Cornish would give you a view of the hills if I recall correctly.
I don't think I would drive Brattleboro to Bennington on a rainy day. Sorry, but I think it's a little early for spectacular color but what has started here in NH is very pleasant.
If you head for Brandon, Middlebury is a bit further north and is a pretty college town. As you continue north, there's rolling farmland so you get farmland against hills' foliage. Burlington might be an ideal destination for restaurants and lodging.
You could cross over to NH using the covered bridge between Cornish and Windsor. I had a pleasant drive on the NH side of the river last August. Wish I had stopped at the Alysson's orchard. If you keep going south you can end up in Keene NH were there are a lot of choices for restaurants. Visiting St. Gaudens in Cornish would give you a view of the hills if I recall correctly.
I don't think I would drive Brattleboro to Bennington on a rainy day. Sorry, but I think it's a little early for spectacular color but what has started here in NH is very pleasant.
If you head for Brandon, Middlebury is a bit further north and is a pretty college town. As you continue north, there's rolling farmland so you get farmland against hills' foliage. Burlington might be an ideal destination for restaurants and lodging.
Sep 28th, 2016, 10:42 AM
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The farmers markets are a good idea.
Of the 5-10 times I've been up to Vermont and New Hampshire, I only caught the spectacular hills of color once. I'd love to have that experience again. As you say, it's not likely this time either.
I'll drive up to the gaps on Sunday. Trying to figure out what to do on Saturday without ranging to far from Brattleboro.
Of the 5-10 times I've been up to Vermont and New Hampshire, I only caught the spectacular hills of color once. I'd love to have that experience again. As you say, it's not likely this time either.
I'll drive up to the gaps on Sunday. Trying to figure out what to do on Saturday without ranging to far from Brattleboro.
Sep 28th, 2016, 11:19 AM
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I have been to the St Gaudens National Monument in the rain, and it was great, rain or no. You tour the studio and the house, and if you drive up NH 22 (I think) right along the river, you see a spectacular covered bridge.
I am not a fan of Manchester,( horrible outlets) which is a shame because Lincoln's house will repay a visit. Your route takes you the "right" way between Bennington and Brattleboro, as the views down into the valley are fairly spectacular.
On Sunday, drive up VT 100 at least as far as Stowe, then cross Smugglers Notch to see Mt. Mansfield from the other side. Then you can go on to Burlington and hit the brew pubs.
As a percentage of the total cost of your trip, a DeLorme Vermont Atlas will be trivial, but it shows roads you won't find any other way. There are lots and lots of unpaved roads in NH, and they are usually beautiful. The maps show them all and even better, if you don't normally ride on unpaved roads, show you when they become paved again. These are not rutted mountain tracks but well maintained roads accessible to any car, though you will understand why Subarus are the state car of Colorado.
Take your Birkenstocks and fuzzy socks, and have a ball.
I am not a fan of Manchester,( horrible outlets) which is a shame because Lincoln's house will repay a visit. Your route takes you the "right" way between Bennington and Brattleboro, as the views down into the valley are fairly spectacular.
On Sunday, drive up VT 100 at least as far as Stowe, then cross Smugglers Notch to see Mt. Mansfield from the other side. Then you can go on to Burlington and hit the brew pubs.
As a percentage of the total cost of your trip, a DeLorme Vermont Atlas will be trivial, but it shows roads you won't find any other way. There are lots and lots of unpaved roads in NH, and they are usually beautiful. The maps show them all and even better, if you don't normally ride on unpaved roads, show you when they become paved again. These are not rutted mountain tracks but well maintained roads accessible to any car, though you will understand why Subarus are the state car of Colorado.
Take your Birkenstocks and fuzzy socks, and have a ball.
Sep 29th, 2016, 06:16 AM
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Decided to change plans.
Staying in Brattleboro only Friday night.
Heading up to the Northeast Kingdom for Sat and Sun in the hopes of seeing some good color.
Will probably take a route that takes us through the gap roads and smugglers notch on Saturday.
Then on Sunday going to take the advice, as of 9/28, of
http://www.foliage-vermont.com/
" Best Bets (North to South):
- Route 5A, from West Charleston through Westmore to West Burke.
- Route 16 from Barton to Westmore.
- Route 111 or 105 through Island Pond.
- Route 5 south from Barton to Orleans, then Route 58 to Irasburg.
- From Lowell, Route 100 south to Route 118 in Eden, then north to Montgomery.
- Route 242 from Montgomery to Jay."
Staying in Brattleboro only Friday night.
Heading up to the Northeast Kingdom for Sat and Sun in the hopes of seeing some good color.
Will probably take a route that takes us through the gap roads and smugglers notch on Saturday.
Then on Sunday going to take the advice, as of 9/28, of
http://www.foliage-vermont.com/
" Best Bets (North to South):
- Route 5A, from West Charleston through Westmore to West Burke.
- Route 16 from Barton to Westmore.
- Route 111 or 105 through Island Pond.
- Route 5 south from Barton to Orleans, then Route 58 to Irasburg.
- From Lowell, Route 100 south to Route 118 in Eden, then north to Montgomery.
- Route 242 from Montgomery to Jay."
Sep 30th, 2016, 02:00 AM
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Think positive. If it rains, it will cut down on the traffic as locals stay home.
We use the DeLorme for VT, NH and ME. It shows the location of covered bridges and waterfalls.
It's too bad the idea of "peak" ever got started. As soon as color starts, it's beautiful. Some trees change gradually so for us we can watch a single tree over a period of weeks. I like orange plus green. As you travel changing elevations, while it's still kind of green most places, you can turn a corner and be startled by a beautiful patch of color.
The bad thing about traveling on a weekend is that all the 4-H kids have their animals at the fair. It's getting to be a rare sight to see a young teen with a young pair of oxen walking them down the road. Local newspaper recently got a good photo of a guy giving another guy lessons on driving a pair of draft horses.
We use the DeLorme for VT, NH and ME. It shows the location of covered bridges and waterfalls.
It's too bad the idea of "peak" ever got started. As soon as color starts, it's beautiful. Some trees change gradually so for us we can watch a single tree over a period of weeks. I like orange plus green. As you travel changing elevations, while it's still kind of green most places, you can turn a corner and be startled by a beautiful patch of color.
The bad thing about traveling on a weekend is that all the 4-H kids have their animals at the fair. It's getting to be a rare sight to see a young teen with a young pair of oxen walking them down the road. Local newspaper recently got a good photo of a guy giving another guy lessons on driving a pair of draft horses.
Oct 1st, 2016, 04:37 PM
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We're up here now. Spent the night in Brattleboro, woke up to find that there's very little fall color, as yet, in Southern Vermont. Our AirBnB host said she expects peak to be around Oct 13.
We drove up to NE Vermont today and there's much more color, although it's a bit muted by the cloudy skies. Drove over to Montgomery to see a couple of covered bridges, nothing to write home about. Drove over to Brownington where we saw some very nice picture postcard views.
Went over to Lake Willoughby and had a good cheap meal at 'The Gap' bar and grill. A Stella Artois tap beer served in beautiful Stella Artois glass was 4.50 and you can keep the glass. Went to see the lake and my wife was surprised to see how picturesque and clear it is.
We drove up to NE Vermont today and there's much more color, although it's a bit muted by the cloudy skies. Drove over to Montgomery to see a couple of covered bridges, nothing to write home about. Drove over to Brownington where we saw some very nice picture postcard views.
Went over to Lake Willoughby and had a good cheap meal at 'The Gap' bar and grill. A Stella Artois tap beer served in beautiful Stella Artois glass was 4.50 and you can keep the glass. Went to see the lake and my wife was surprised to see how picturesque and clear it is.
Oct 2nd, 2016, 05:28 PM
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Saw some good color today, driving from Barton to Montpelier via 16 to 15 to 14. The stretch of 15 appeared to be near peak. I was thinking about what emalloy said about the colors with the green being preferable to colors with dead leaves and I have to agree. It would have been better without the cloudy skies, but all in all not disappointed. I'm glad I rebased myself up North.
Oct 3rd, 2016, 02:43 AM
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You definitely made the right choice in deciding to move farther north. The color in the south is not far advanced at all. It may not be great this year because there has been so little rain in that part of the state and into western MA and NH
Oct 3rd, 2016, 03:25 AM
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Yesterday saw at least one tree near NH's Lake Winnipesaukee that was almost neon orange against green. Along our stone wall we only have one tree that is showing that kind of color. Different maples, different colors and timing. Glad you changed base and found some good color. I think the color actually looked brighter due to gray skies.
